PROJECT SCRAP
by Ka-tay's mind
Summary: As dark magic arises, trust is shattered among civilians and Mana User's alike. With the Magic Council barely holding up, things are taking a turn for the worst. When a mysterious underground guild begins its operations in the torn-up world of Maple, maybe, just maybe, Maple can become whole again. Underground guilds hold their own secrets though, don't they?


PROJECT SCRAP by Ka-tay's Mind

Disclaimer : MapleStory, as far as I remembered, belongs to Nexon/Wizet. On a sidenote, only 5 Adventurers and Knights of Cygnus are here.

* * *

Prologue – Unwanted.

"**Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood, miss knowing it's all good, it didn't slow me down. Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated, look I'm still around."**

**-Perfect, P!nk.**

If you were cast aside, like a toy that just lost its appeal, what were the chances of survival in a world filled with monsters roaming by the outskirts of towns? Zero to none, I can tell you that from first hand experience.

Some of us choose to run, either for better or for worse, we never really knew. Others were forced onto the cruel streets with nothing but the clothes on their backs, scavenging for food just to survive for the night. Some become solo mercenaries with the right source of help, others just become plain thieves that steal to survive. We're not much different from usual civilians and other Mana Users. We were just mistaken, which was a nice way of saying it.

We were the unwanted. We were the kids you didn't want to invite to your birthday, despite you invited the whole class. We were the teens that you didn't want on your dodgeball team because we were 'losers'. We were the adults you criticized because you thought it was fun to point out our flaws, as if we don't see them every day, pleading for some sort of change. We were the ones that just couldn't seem to find our spot in this wretched place we call society.

It's like we were drowning, and everyone else was just standing there staring at us.

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**Nine years ago.**

No one expected it. That incident that happened that killed so many innocent people we called 'Strike of Black Magic'.

It was a fine morning; children rubbed sleep out of their eyes as they listened to the academy teachers dragging on and on about various offensive skills that would be their foundation as new Mana Users. Civilians carried out their usual activities, stopping by the market place for some grocery shopping or to head to their workplace. Simply to say, Ellinia was peaceful.

Everything was at ease, until the crystal in Grendal's study turned obsidian as the midnight sky. Mana Users throughout the Maple World faced terrible agony screeching through their bodies; the Magicians had it the worse, the pain being so unbearable that some died. To make matters worse, the protective borders around towns had collapsed in that moment, allowing free entrance to the monsters prowling right outside the towns.

It took time for the Mana Users to regain their senses and by then, the towns would already be in utter destruction. It was concluded that the dark magic of monsters had increased for that moment, thus causing such havoc. It was wave after wave of monsters, some towns like Leafre had it worse. Mana Users of all sorts began to launch attacks but their attempts were futile, Mana was disrupted.

It was a bloodbath.

It lasted for four whole days; a battle that seemed never-ending. Right when the number of monsters had decreased, a new wave would rush in, taking out more and more Mana Users.

When none of the monsters came anymore, the moment wasn't celebratory. Everyone waited and waited, paranoid of another wave of new monsters, but nothing came. No one relaxed until Commander Grendel of Ellinia sent word that the sudden increase of black magic had decreased back to its normal state, but everyone was to keep on our toes just in case.

Things calmed down a few days after. Proper burials for the deceased were carried out, honoring them by placing a new memorial stones in the towns. Teams of both Mana Users who were not critically injured and civilians began to rebuild the town from its wreckage of the battle.

That didn't change anything though, what was lost, was lost.

Orphanages were flooded with children who lost their parents in the attack. It was a depressing sight, looking at the kids sobbing and screaming for their deceased parents. The orphanages had then started a foster program three weeks after the attack, where a family without any children could foster a child for two weeks, and if both sides were happy, the child could be adopted into a new family.

The program sickened me.

The kids just lost their parents for Gaia's sake, and now you're suddenly pushing them to a new place for them to call 'family'. I was absolutely disgusted with this.

I was raised by my brilliant single mum, the best Shadower of her time and prime candidate for the title Captain of Kerning City, the right hand man or woman to the Commander of the towns. But luck was against us; right when everything was smooth sailing, she was backstabbed by the ones she called her allies. My mum was sabotaged of her work, and not even her allies stood up for her. They merely stood by the sidelines as my mum was striped of her title as candidate for Captain. The humiliation, the trust that just shattered between her and her 'allies', it was the day I learnt that you could trust no one, because even your shadow leaves you when you're in the dark.

Right after the incident, mum had returned home to me, her tear streak face made my eight year old self afraid. Not for myself, but afraid for her. My mum is the strongest individual I know, and to see her break down, it shattered my heart. She explained her story to me, and by the end of it, hot tears were streaming down my face.

I was angry. I was sad. But most of all, I was downright disappointed with the people who my mum once praised and befriended.

Mum left those bastards, and we packed our bags for Ellinia. There we made ourselves a new home, and we were happy. Mum had taught me all the techniques fit for me to learn ever since I was able to run with my two legs, so by the time I was at the young age of ten, I was as good as a Rogue Academy graduate. If I said nothing changed from our move from Kerning City to Ellinia, I'd be lying.

I turned from the active little child that tried my best to the child who grew up too fast. I was considerably more mature than other kids my age, but I didn't mind one bit. Instead of 'try your best', it became 'go hard or go home'. Instead of playing in the forests with kids my age, I stayed at home to read or to a small clearing my mum and I found when we were venturing around Ellinia to sharpen my dagger skills. I was quiet, the only one to make me act my age was mum.

When the wave of dark energy passed over us, the pain was insufferable. Mum had grabbed her dagger and claw, safely herding me behind her from any danger as we left the confines of our house to the wreckage of Ellinia. Grendel had opened a portal for the evacuates, urging us to hurry in our rushed footsteps. Mum urged me forward, but not before giving me one part of her Holy Wing earring and a promise that she'll come back for me.

The four days were terrible for me.

When the news of the ending battle reached the safe houses of Sleepywoods, the only thought that blinked in my head was about my mum. Was she alright? Did anything happen? Of course not, I hastily made myself think, she was Jean Pierce for Gaia's sake! We weren't allowed to go back to town till everything was cleared and deemed safe for children. The days dragged on till a full week had passed, and finally, we were back in Ellinia.

The majestic library had been restored by some sort of power from Grendel, but other than that, the whole town was a wreck. I didn't care though, once I landed properly on the familiar ground, I started sprinting to my house. When the recognizable silhouette of my mum came to view, I flung my arms around her, crying softly into her shoulder before sobs started from the back of my throat.

Her black hair was matted with sweat, dirt, and blood. Other than a few noticeable wounds and bruises, she looked fine. Everything had been fine, it was all good again.

And not a week later, I felt that I spoke too soon.


End file.
